President Clinton recently weighed in on the GOP presidential
contest, feigning sympathy for Republican candidates for having to run
against his stellar record. Let’s take a look at Clinton’s claim.

“I have a lot of sympathy with Governor Bush and Senator McCain. I
mean, it’s hard for them to figure out what to run on. They can’t run
against the longest economic expansion in history or the lowest crime
rate in 30 years or the lowest welfare rolls in 30 years.”

Clinton’s implicit point is that for Republicans to recapture the
White House they will have to run against the status quo. Let’s get one
thing straight. Republicans will not have to run against the strong
economy because they deserve more credit for it than Clinton does. And
Clinton wouldn’t be able to brag about reduced welfare rolls if
Republicans hadn’t thrice shoved the Welfare Reform Bill under his nose.
But is Clinton right that Republicans have no issues to run on?

Because a starker contrast can be shown between Bush and Gore than
McCain and Gore, I’ll give a thumbnail sketch of some of the differences
between a Bush and Gore presidency.

First, consider what would have happened had congressional
Republicans not thwarted much of Clinton’s wish list. Clinton would
have:

Given us socialized medicine, which would have eventually
destroyed the greatest health care system in the world and bankrupted
the budget Clinton takes credit for balancing

Ratcheted-up federal spending for numerous other pet projects

Signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which would have
gravely undermined our national security through unilateral nuclear
disarmament

Imposed draconian restrictions on gun ownership in contravention
of the Second Amendment

A Gore presidency would also be different from a Bush presidency
in that Gore would:

Appoint activist judges instead of strict constructionists,
which would seal the fate of a million and a half babies a year for at
least another generation

Continue to play political games with the Social Security problem
rather than implementing a plan, like Bush’s, that would truly protect
workers’ retirement security by partially privatizing social security

Refuse to refund revenue surpluses back to their rightful owners
— the taxpayers

Possibly seek to outlaw the internal combustion engine — as well
he should if he actually believes his own propaganda that it is the
greatest threat to civilization

Further erode the Fifth Amendment by placing at even greater risk
the rights of private landowners through government confiscation and
choking regulations in the name of benign environmentalism

Seek to sponsor legislation to codify his stated belief that
“computer literacy is a fundamental right”

Use his bully-pulpit to conduct class-warfare and to urge that we
move further toward a race-conscious society rather than striving for
color blindness

Treat China as his favorite political contributor and strategic
partner rather than as a competitor and potential menace to Taiwan and
world peace

Continue to regard the Justice Department as the legal goalie for
presidential corruption rather than the nation’s highest law enforcement
body.

As to character issues, Bill Clinton has given Gore his stamp of
approval. “My experience is that he is exceedingly honest and
exceedingly straightforward.” That’s like Bonnie Parker denying that
Clyde Barrow was a bank robber.

Even major media outlets are beginning to show concern about Gore’s
similarity to Clinton in the veracity department. Other than John
McCain, no one is questioning Dubya’s integrity. A story in Thursday’s
New York Times documented an alarming litany of Gore distortions. Some
of the familiar examples, such as his claim to have invented the
Internet, are trivial they say, but others “are substantial parts of his
public record and rationale for seeking higher office.”

Gore has not only adopted and embraced Clinton’s corruption, there is
every reason to assume he would continue in the same pattern.

These are but a few of the differences between a Gore and a Bush
administration. So let’s vote smart.